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Cytokine properties of prokineticins
Author(s) -
Monnier Justin,
Samson Michel
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the febs journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.981
H-Index - 204
eISSN - 1742-4658
pISSN - 1742-464X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1742-4658.2008.06559.x
Subject(s) - receptor , immune system , chemokine receptor , biology , chemokine , microbiology and biotechnology , cytokine , signal transduction , cytokine receptor , glycoprotein 130 , immunology , biochemistry , stat3
Prokineticins are a novel family of secreted peptides with diverse regulatory roles, one of which is their capacity to modulate immunity in humans and in other species. Prokineticins are small peptides of 8 kDa that mediate their biological activities by signaling through two homologous G‐protein‐coupled receptors (prokineticin receptor 1 and prokineticin receptor 2). This family of peptides is characterized by a completely conserved N‐terminal hexapeptide crucial for their bioactivities and a unique structural motif comprising five disulfide bonds. Prokineticins and their receptors are highly expressed in bone marrow, in peripheral circulating leukocytes, in inflamed tissues and in resident organ immune cells. Their structure, size, signaling and biological activities are reminiscent of the chemokine superfamily. In this review, emphasis is placed on the properties of prokineticins as cytokines and their role in the immune system.